FRD6, FRD1. FRD6, FRD1.
FRD1, FRD6. UR 2 x 5.
FRD6, FRD1, SB CODE.
FRD1, FRD6. GA.
FRD6, FRD1.
USE AS SIMPLE SUBSTITUTION
FIRST NAME BELLE OF WAGGA WAGGA
SECOND NAME DITTO
MODEL RPT MODEL BANNINGS CAR
05xO8xl5xl6xO2
O5x2lxl2xO2xO4
15x04x21x11x10
13x14x24x25x13
11x23x06x17x02
15x21x23x24x02
ACKNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING
FRD1,SB
Signalman Cahn listened carefully, making minute adjustments to his receiver for half a minute.
"I lost his carrier, Sir. He probably shut down to decode that. "
"We hope," Banning said. He turned to Sergeant Esposito.
"Esposito, get on the Teletype and send what we have to Brisbane. Eyes only, Lieutenant Hon."
"Aye, Aye, Sir."
"Tell him I suggest-use that word, suggest-that he relay to General Pickering on the special channel."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Feldt asked. "Falsely raised hopes are worse than no news at all."
"O ye of little faith," Banning said. "Send it, Esposito."
Sergeant Esposito picked up the various messages and sat down at the Teletype machine and started typing.
[Three]
FERDINAND SIX
BUKA, SOLOMON ISLANDS
0715 HOURS 6 OCTOBER 1942
"I hope you know what the hell Wagga Wagga is," Lieutenant Joe Howard, USMCR, said to Sub-Lieutenant Jakob Reeves, RANVR. "Because I don't."
"It's a backwater town in New South Wales," Reeves said.
"A town?"
Reeves nodded. "Using the term generously. And as far as I know I don't know a living soul there, much less the belle thereof."
"My girl's from Wagga Wagga," Sergeant Steve Koffler said.
"That must be it," Howard said.
"I thought your girl was down at the creek, washing your linen Reeves said.
"I told you, goddamn it, you sonofabitch, to knock that shit off"
"That's enough, Koffler."
"Fuck him, I told him to stop!"
"That's enough, Sergeant Koffler," Howard said firmly.
`Shit!"
"He has been diddling-"
"That's enough out of you, too, Reeves," Howard said.
"You don't give me orders, Lieutenant!" With a great effort, Howard controlled his temper, although he did not flinch under Reeves' angry glare.
Eventually Reeves shrugged.
"Sergeant, I apologize," he said. "I was making a joke. Or thought I was."
"Forget it," Koffler said, sounding not at all sincere.